Microsoft Debuts Xbox Music Apps for Web, iOS, Android

With the release of the Xbox One fast approaching, Microsoft is crossing its I's and dotting its T's by releasing an official Xbox Music app for iOS and Android, offering fans another way to rock out while on the go.Microsoft announced Sunday that Xbox Music is heading toward its first anniversary, and to celebrate, the console maker is expanding to both the web and mobile devices, bringing 30 million tracks to a whole lot more users.

Best of all, the web-based version of Xbox Music is available free to everyone with a web browser, which will soon include a Radio feature for discovering new music or creating favorite playlists. Radio is expected to launch later in the year.

The bigger news for smartphone users is the debut of a free Xbox Music app for the iPhone and Android, which allows ad-free streaming, playlist creation and more. One thing the apps won't do — at least not yet — is download music for offline playback, but Microsoft promises that feature is coming soon.

While Xbox Music is now available on the App Store, there are a couple of caveats: First, it's not a universal app, so there's no native iPad support quite yet. Second, you'll need an Xbox Music Pass subscription to actually use the app, which is $9.99 per month after a 30-day free trial. (Access to the web-based version, however, is free to everyone.)